The Pizza Man has shot to rebound in Wise Dan Stakes
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Two of the five graded stakes to be run Saturday night at Churchill Downs will be on turf. Funny how this happens so frequently – here, anywhere – but they might also happen to be the best betting races on an 11-race card.
The Grade 2 Wise Dan and Grade 3 Regret both drew competitive fields of 11 lacking a heavy favorite. They’ll surround the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at the height of the evening when run as races 7 and 9.
The $200,000 Wise Dan, formerly known as the Firecracker, marks the return of The Pizza Man, although his many fans might want to proceed carefully in their wagering activities involving the 2015 Arlington Million winner. Not only was The Pizza Man uncharacteristically dull in his most recent start in February in Florida, but owner Richard Papiese and trainer Roger Brueggemann are using the 1 1/16-mile Wise Dan as a means to an end, with a return engagement in the 34th Million on Aug. 13 as their summer goal.
“This is a good place to come back,” said Papiese, who with his wife, Karen, competes under the black-and-green banner of Midwest Thoroughbreds, the leading owner in wins in North America every year since 2010. “The main thing is to get a good race under him and come out of it right, although we’d still like to win. It’s the same kind of process as last year. There are some real horses in this, but we expect him to run well.”
Given that context, the Wise Dan could be ripe for a horse with more recency, and it won’t escape bettors’ notice that Thatcher Street, Conquest Typhoon, and Za Approval all had very useful outings three weeks ago.
The $100,000 Regret for 3-year-old fillies, which goes at 1 1/8 miles, might be even more contentious. Four of the starters contested the May 20 Hilltop Stakes at Pimlico – led by the $1,009 trifecta of Gone Away, Family Meeting, and Wessex. They’re joined by a number of capable fillies, including Auntie Joy, who finished second to the highly accomplished Catch a Glimpse on May 6 in the Edgewood Stakes at Churchill.
Try Your Luck, whose recent back-to-back victories on this circuit could hardly have been more impressive, is another viable contender, along with Dothraki Queen, making the third start of a form cycle after repeatedly knocking heads with some of the elite fillies in her class.
Post times are 9:05 p.m. Eastern for the Wise Dan and 10:11 for the Regret.
KEY CONTENDERS
Wise Dan Stakes
The Pizza Man, by English Channel
Last 3 Beyers: 96-101-102
◗ This 7-year-old Midwest homebred had a ready-made excuse when fifth in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Turf after a trying journey from New Orleans, and the subsequent decision to regroup has resulted in seven workouts since late April at the nearby Trackside training center.
◗ He’ll break from post 2 and will be ridden by Florent Geroux, who has been aboard for the gelding’s best efforts and gets the call following a two-race absence.
Za Approval, by Ghostzapper
Last 3 Beyers: 72-93-94
◗ This 8-year-old Live Oak homebred had been training very well at Churchill prior to finishing eighth May 21 in the Dixie Stakes at Pimlico and stands to benefit substantially from that start, his first in seven months.
Thatcher Street, by Street Sense
Last 3 Beyers: 96-94-94
◗ Trained by Ian Wilkes, this 5-year-old gelding has won his last two starts, including the Opening Verse here in his last race.
Regret Stakes
Auntie Joy, by Uncle Mo
Last 3 Beyers: 90-81-81
◗ Trained by Brendan Walsh, this filly seems to have plenty of upside after being defeated by less than a length in the Edgewood by Catch a Glimpse, a Breeders’ Cup winner who wheeled back to defeat male rivals in the Penn Mile to run her career record to 7 for 8.
Try Your Luck, by Lookin At Lucky
Last 3 Beyers: 88-90-39
◗ Claimed for $75,000 at Gulfstream Park in February, this filly has come to hand over the last couple of months for Mike Maker, who sent her out to a blowout maiden victory at Keeneland before she dusted first-level allowance foes here five weeks ago.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Try Your Luck. Trainer Mike Maker is 21-2-3-2 with a $0.85 ROI over the past two years in turf route graded stakes in Kentucky. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Wessex, by Unbridled’s Song
Beyers: 81-76
◗ This Juddmonte Farms homebred was third in the crowded finish in the Hilltop on the Preakness Eve card in just her second career start.
◗ She is trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, who has sent her into the care of local assistant Kenny McCarthy.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 10 Wessex. Trainer Bill Mott is 24-1-4-2 with a $0.20 ROI over the past five years in turf route graded stakes at Churchill Downs. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Noble Beauty. Trainer Chad Brown is 28-7-6-0 with a $3.07 ROI over the past five years in turf routes in Kentucky in the second start following a layoff of 45 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan